The Anthropologist

by Weavers of Dreams

-97- Out Down and Far Away

"Uh, ma'am, you all really don't need to come with us," the colonial guard said, attempting to ease the confrontation. The guards of the colonies had different uniform from the traditional Equestrian military, using more tough fabrics with metal inserts, offering more protection against the tropical climate. Also, with more modern weapons.

"Ha, as if," Lyra snorted as she adjusted a pith helmet borrowed from Daring. Apparently they were custom made to be extra durable, near bulletproof. The pegasus, who stood close by, had both wings and her forehead bandaged, with one eye swollen shut from earlier. "We are following this trail of breadcrumbs and finding our foals, and there's nothing you can do to stop us."

"She's a wizard from Celestia's School," Daring explained, omitting the fact she was healing from extreme magic exertion. "Besides, the wilderness is less aggressive these days."

"Then you'll follow our orders from here until the end of the trial then," the guard, a sergeant, stated firmly.

Lyra and Agate nodded. "Of course," the mint one agreed, "I'm no fighter, I just want my son back ASAP."

"My Precious too," Agate said in a smaller voice.

When the alarms had gone off, guards had begun rushing into the streets. The two mares panicked and rushed to find their children. The observatory was a mess, broken telescopes, books and instruments scattered everywhere, and Daring laying in the middle of it, beaten rather badly. Once she was patched up, she explained that they were jumped by a stallion. It was over too fast for her to get a good look. Other than that he was a pegasus like herself. With the foals nowhere to be seen, the mares were hungry for blood.

To make things confusing, they found a series of arrows leading from the observatory to the main gate of the colony. Lyra was not going to be shaken from following this lead.

"Worry not, Lyra," a voice from behind announced itself. The mares turned to see the hero of the hour, Mark Smith standing there in safari gear, cane in one hand, shotgun in the other. "I'll be taking an advance scouting party ahead of you all to make sure you're not all walking into a trap."

Lyra pranced excitedly. "Ooh, let me come with you instead. Please-please-please?"

He shook his head resolutely. "I'm afraid not, good Doctor. You know as well as I that that would be too dangerous with your lack of experience."

The mare deflated, but conceded the point. He was right. The man reached out and patted her head comfortingly. "Don't worry, Lyra. I'll be sure to reunite you with that fine colt again."

He promptly found himself in her embrace, which he swiftly reciprocated. "Alright, you with wings, take off and keep a look out from above the trees."

The two pegasi in the troop took off at his command and began making wide circles overhead. He then selected one of the other guards to follow him along the trail of arrows into the vegetation.

"Wait ten minutes then follow," were his last instructions before vanishing, leaving the three mares behind with the sergeant.

The stallion regarded them thoughtfully. "If you're going to be going with us, I'd feel better if you had some sort of weaponry."

"Got myself covered," Daring smirked, opening her saddlebags to show they were stuffed to the brim with dynamite. Strapped to her left forehoof was a butane lighter, and under her hat she had a large can of hairspray. "Nature fears fire above all."

The sergeant laughed. He'd seen her work more than a few times. "I was more worried about the other two, ma'am."

Lyra used her healing magic to draw a pistol from a pouch about her neck. She didn't have time to find a holster. "I was on the marksman team in school."

"The sergeant nodded, "Alright, you should be fairly useful. And what about you... um... ma'am... that's a rock."

Agate blushed as she dropped the rock. "I've never been much good in a fight. I've run away from all my problems before."

The sergeant, an earth pony, sighed and looked her dead in the eye. "Ma'am... you're a unicorn."

"Yes?" Agate nodded slowly, unsure what he was getting at.

""Why not use several rocks?" he explained, gesturing to the large rocks scattered about the ground. "One rock is great for surprise attacks, or fending off an attacker. But when you have the ability to use several, you could be devastating at close range."

The mare needed no second bidding. Six hoof-sized stones levitated from the ground and began orbiting her like satellites. "Yeah, this... this would have been useful many times in the past."

The earth pony did his best not to sigh in despair. He was just thankful that the scouting party would be shooing off all of the dangerous wildlife. "Alright, it's been about ten minutes, last chance to stay behind."

Seeing the determination in their eyes he shrugged, "tally-ho."

***

"Land ho, Western Isles dead ahead," Noteworthy called out, standing on the prow of the airship.

Ponies quickly came up to see, his first wife, the in laws, and the two extra ponies who had answered the call for help. One rather disgruntled member of their merry band was sporting a bright pink bow about her helmet to keep it held upon her head.

Mercury and Baritone hugged their extended family fondly.

"I can practically smell them from here," Mercury cried, taking a deep sniff. But, she wouldn't find their scent again until they landed.

A suddenly explosion shook the ship.

"Aaaand we just lost the starboard engine," the pink bowed pony said, testing her wings. "No wonder this ship was so cheap."

The whole ship began to cant starboard as a result. The two earth ponies clung to the railing, everyone else had wings but them.

"Great," Bonbon groaned. "Abandon ship?"

Baritone shook his head. "No, me and speedster can even it. For at least a while. The rest of you get the supplies out from below deck and put it in the life boat. We're making a tactical landing."

"No, we're going to crash," Mercury corrected him as she grabbed the two wingless ponies and ushered them towards the bulkhead.

"Tactically," Baritone grinned despite the situation. He and his helper took off to take hold of the starboard side and push their wings to the limit.

Slowly, the bow of the ship began realigning with the islands.

"Okay, how long do you think we got?" the mare asked him as she glanced over toward the port side. Upon seeing the smoke wafting up from that engine she grimaced. "Augh, not enough. Push faster old pony."

Baritone was too focused on keeping the ship aloft to give a retort. Old? The nerve of this younger generation.

***

It was very warm. Henry held the filly close as she sobbed into his chest, calling for her mother. He couldn't remember what happened. One moment he had been looking through a telescope at the northernmost star of a constellation Daring had called the Lunar Maria, the next he woke up stuffed inside a bag with Precious.

He had woken up before the filly and had a minute to gather his wits before she woke and began panicking. He did his best to quiet her. But, he was barely holding it together himself.

When their captor slowed then eventually came to a stop, he found he was holding his breath in trepidation. His heart pounded so hard in his chest he was sure it was causing the filly to vibrate. Then came the smell.

Sweet and savory scents, mixed with something smokey. It made his stomach rumble hungrily. Even Precious stopped shivering and began sniffing. There was also the sound of running water and... music? It was comforting.

He was about to risk a "hello" when the bag was upturned and they both fell out atop of a giant stone table. Directly in front of them, strange purple fruit halfway to her mouth was the largest mare either of the foals had ever seen. With a giant headdress of exotic feathers upon her head and a necklace of bones about her neck, she was frozen in shock, eyes roving over them. Even the music had stopped and then came murmuring.

The foals turned their heads to see dozens of other giant mares about the edge of the table, leaning in close to get a good look at their guests. Then they turned back at the first one. One word came to Henry's mind from stories he'd heard back on earth.

"Amazons?"